


Treasured Memory Archive

by lightkeykid



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, I'll update the tags as I post, KH3 spec, going into KH3 oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-05 21:29:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17332697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightkeykid/pseuds/lightkeykid
Summary: In the course of his journey, Sora has many memories of the friends he's met and the adventures they shared. Sometimes Jiminy's journal is more of a catalog than an archive, and Sora needs to remember between the pages.Series of ficlets and oneshots exploring the bonds Sora has with the people in his life and his interaction with various friends in the series leading up to and through KH3.





	1. Fate

Not for the first time did Sora wonder about his place in this game. Every time he thought he found where he needed to be, someone came by and shook up his world. Maybe he was not supposed to be in this situation in the first place. After all, most everything that happened since the islands fell to darkness was meant for another. 

He wished he could return to the islands. Unlike Riku, he never found Destiny Islands to be a prison, but instead, he thought of them like a homing beacon. Sora just wanted to return home some days. Leave the balance of light and dark to someone else; perhaps someone else would be more suitable to wield the key. 

He watched the clouds roll around them in the eternal twilight sky. The Tower was home base for the Guardians of Light right now. The only home he had for the last year. 

"Are you okay?" The soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the flash of blue. Aqua. The Keyblade Master still recuperated from her time in the dark realm. It was a harrowing rescue for them all. Donald and Goofy were somewhere in the Tower resting, but Sora's insomnia did not let sleep come. Hence his thinking right now.

"I am… getting there," He answered honestly. "Just thinking."

"About?" She sat down next to him along the island's edge. Their feet dangled among the clouds.

He continued staring off into the sunset. Maybe if he stayed out here long enough, he would get to see the night sky again, like in Traverse Town. 

Sora felt the nudge against his leg and sighed. "What's the point? I'm probably being too emotional again."

"I could use some emotional after what I experienced," Aqua said quietly.

"Where do I fit into this story? Why am I the one still running around, messing everything up? Riku is the master; he has the power we need to fix everything." He held his face in his hands, ducking low.

Aqua did not respond immediately. "Let me tell you a story, Sora. Twelve years ago, Xehanort ruined many lives with his ambition. He orchestrated every conflict, squabble, and argument to meet his ends. He would have succeeded all those years ago if stronger hearts had not prevailed."

"Like yours?" He asked, lifting his head from his hands. She shook her head.

"How much do you know about my friend Ventus?"

Ventus. That name was familiar now but still a mystery all the same. Only the King had any memories of the boy. Yen Sid had only housed his sleeping body for the night Aqua stayed here.

"He's the one whose heart is asleep, right? The missing one?"

"You're right. Ventus was my friend; probably the closest thing to a brother I have. Xehanort ripped his darkness away to use as a weapon. The x-blade," She spat

Sora put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "We will find him and his heart. You can count on it."

"That's just the thing Sora. You… You have this energy. Not fully familiar, but not a total stranger. Almost Ven-like." She paused. "We met before."

Sora tried to think of when he would have met Aqua. She was stuck in the realm of darkness all this time. The only time he was in the dark realm, he was with Riku. "When?"

Aqua laid back against the grass and looked up at the sky. "It was not that long ago for me, but you were a small child. You and Riku played on that island of yours without a care in the world." She laughed softly. "I almost made you my successor then."

"Why would you do something like that? Baby Sora impressed you that much?"

"It sounds crazy, but you did. I still would make you my successor."

"So why didn’t you?" He asked quietly. He was not sure he wanted the answer, but deep down, he knew he needed it. Maybe her answer would help solve all the other questions he had. 

"My own bias. At the time, Terra, Ven, and I were having our own issues, and I saw that someone had bequeathed their power to Riku before I got there. I believed, wrongly might I add, that if I gave you the power too, then maybe you two would have the same problems. You would fight and ruin the wonderful friendship you had."

"You aren't wrong. The Keyblade did drive us apart for a little bit, but we worked through it."

"Your heart was strong enough; mine wasn't." She admitted. "You were asking what is your part in all this?"

Sora nodded. "Yeah…" He answered hesitantly. 

"Do you want the real answer, or do you want to feel better?"

He laughed loudly. "Give me the truth Aqua."

She turned toward him, looking him straight in the eye. "You are not meant to be in this game," Aqua said bluntly.

His stomach dropped despite knowing this truth. Even though Riku and Kairi argued otherwise, he knew deep down that he was replaceable to the grand scheme. Someone else could help stop Xehanort. Unshed tears began to sting his eyes. He moved to get up when Aqua grabbed his hand.

Pulling him down, she gently said, "That's why you are so important Sora."

"What?" His voice broke.

"Xehanort did not plan for such a strong heart to enter his game. One so full of love for his friends that he traveled the worlds to save them over and over again. Master Yen Sid told me everything you have done these last couple of years. He told me about your Mastery exam." Seeing his flinch, she quickly said, "He even mentioned how well you did despite Xehanort's interference. I did not joke when I said I would make you my successor today, but you did not need the bequeathal. You earned the Keyblade as Sora, not anyone's apprentice." 

She wiped the tears off his cheek and gave him a pat. "If anything, you are the reason we will win. You made your own destiny when you set off on this journey, and if you want it, fate will bring you back home. Your heart won't accept any other answer."


	2. Junior Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Trinity Trio take a trip to the Coliseum and explore Hercules' roots with him.

Sora landed the Gummi ship behind a cluster of rocks near the Underdrome.

“If we’re going to be here for the cup, we might as well see what the Coliseum repairs look like.” Sora started up the staircase to the Coliseum. Goofy and Donald followed closely behind. It would be great to see Meg, Phil, and if they were lucky, Hercules. The golden staircase was surrounded by clouds,

“Why do these stairs have to be so long?” Donald whined as they reached a landing. He plopped down on the ground. “I’m exhausted.”

Sora sat down on the steps next to him. “Me too. But at least it will be easier to go back to the ship when we’re leaving.”

“Come on, guys! It’s only a few more landings.” Goofy tried to cheer them up. Sora and Donald looked at him in confusion. How did he still have so much energy? Donald groaned and laid back on the ground. 

“Sora!” The trio heard the call from above. Sora squinted to make out the shadowy figure. Was that Hercules flying on Pegasus? “You guys want a lift?” He shouted down.

Donald jumped up and waved frantically. “We sure would!”

Sora and Goofy chuckled at his antics. The duck would do anything to get out of walking all those stairs, including leaving his friends for a ride.

Hercules landed Pegasus in front of them. Sora took his hand and stood up. “It’s good to see you. How’s the hero training going?” Hercules asked. 

“Better than ever. How’s everything going at the Coliseum?” After the Hydra attack, repairs on the Coliseum would take a while. He hoped he would one day see the Coliseum brought back to its former splendor. 

“I’ll let you see for yourself. Hop on!” He didn’t have to tell Donald twice. 

Pegasus would have made this trip with ease if he didn’t have three extra passengers; nevertheless, he persevered. Anyways, Sora took the rare chance to see the world from above. The little gaps in the clouds revealed structures down below.

“Hey.” He pointed down at the town below. “What’s that? I’ve never seen that before.” 

Hercules looked down to where Sora pointed. “That’s a little town outside Thebes. The Big Olive! It’s where I got my start when I started my hero training. Want to go see?”

“Sure!” He said before Donald or Goofy could chime in. For all that they explored worlds, Sora still yearned to see more. He knew that one day the gateways would close once again, and this time, they might not reopen. Before that happened, he wanted to see as much as he could of the worlds he had saved. 

Hercules nudged Pegasus into a dive down into town. Sora, Donald, and Goofy yelped at the sudden movement, and Hercules laughed at their reaction. “Come on guys. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you on Pegasus.”

“Tell that to my stomach,” Donald grumbled in front of Sora. 

They touched down in an enclosed area. The four of them hopped off Pegasus.

“Welcome to my old stomping grounds. Here I fought monsters from far and wide with my pals,” Hercules said wistfully. He ran a hand over the plaque near the entrance. Sora took in the surrounding area of large columns and smooth marble. Despite the empty area, someone maintained the shrubbery at least. He was sure he had never been here before, but something about it was reminiscent. An echo somewhere in his memory. Was this somewhere he came during that year he didn’t remember? Hercules would have mentioned it, right? Sora pondered over this conundrum as they wandered around the empty square. 

“Since when was Phil a pal?” Goofy asked. Sora snickered at the thought. Phil would conk Herc over the head if he heard him say that. Philoctetes was a Hero Trainer™, not some chum or pal, and he took pride in that title.

Hercules laughed nervously. “No! No, not him.” He rubbed his neck hesitantly. “Don’t even joke about that. Meg called him a goat once, and I’m the one who had to run laps around the Coliseum.”

“So there were other junior heroes before us?” Sora asked.

Hercules nodded softly. “Yeah, there were. I haven’t seen them in years though. No one is permanent at the Coliseum, but these guys could have stuck around and made it big time.” He looked wistful while getting lost in his memories. “You remind me of one of them.” Hercules pointed at Sora.

“Me?”

Hercules tried to remember his name. “Just like you, he wanted to make friends everywhere he went. His name is on the tip of my tongue. Ben, Fen… Len?” He shook his head. “Some friend I am.”

Sora patted him on the shoulder. “It’s been a long time. Not everyone sticks around.” His words were true even in his case. There was no promise of his return every time he got into that Gummi ship.

“Yeah, and just because you don’t remember him now doesn’t mean that you won’t remember it later,” Donald added. 

The hero smiled at them. “Thanks, guys. I know he wouldn’t hold it against me. Still, I owe him my career. Back then, I was close to giving up, but he came at the right time and taught me to never stop.”

I said I’ll come back when you’re a hero . Sora heard a voice behind him. He turned around quickly to see who was there, but the square was empty other than their group. He felt a warmth in his heart at the voice. 

“Maybe he’ll return when you become a true hero,” Sora suggested. Herc brightened instantly at his comment

“You’re right! It’s just another reason to finish my journey!”

“Gawrsh, guys, don’t you think we should be heading back to the Coliseum? Phil and Meg are probably waiting for us,” Goofy chimed in with his well-timed advice. He and Donald walked back to Pegasus, leaving Hercules and Sora alone.

“Thanks for bringing me back, Sora.”

Sora chuckled, shaking his head. “You’re the one with a flying horse, remember?”

“No. I meant I haven’t visited my roots nearly enough since I became a bigger hero. My parents may be the gods Zeus and Hera, but there are also my mortal parents too. I wouldn’t be me without either one.” He sighed. “I guess what I want to say is don’t forget your friends that you leave behind in your journeys. They might not remember you as well as you hope, but as long as you come back to them in your heart, they’ll always be there to support you.” He tapped Sora’s chest.

They returned to the skies on top of Pegasus, but Sora’s thoughts remained on the ground with Thebes. As they rose higher and higher into the sky, he tried to keep an eye on that little square that seemed so familiar until it was out of sight for good.


End file.
